PORTLAND -- After a three game slide last week, the South Bay Lakers appear to be back on track after putting up their highest point total since the season opener, pulling away late to beat the Rip City Remix 141-130 at the Chiles Center.
The high-scoring effort was led by guard Kobe Bufkin, who scored a South Bay season high 42 points on 13-20 shooting from the field and 3-8 shooting from three in his first game back with South Bay.
Bufkin, the 6 '4 lefty guard, began the season as a Laker before being called up for a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on November 24th. He never appeared in a game for the Grizzlies, and when the contract ended, returned to South Bay.
The Lakers came out of the gates hot with 37 points in the first quarter, their highest total of the season so far. It was a well-rounded effort led by Bufkin with nine points. They led by 12 after one.
The second quarter was more even keeled, with the Remix fighting to stay above water. Despite being down by 21 points with 3:23 to go, they fought back, using a triple from their 6 '11 center Andrew Carr at the end of the quarter to cut the lead to 13 at 69-56.
The third saw Laker guard Tevian Jones log 10 of his 20 points featuring two triples, while Bufkin added another 13. The Lakers outscored Rip City by seven, extending their lead to 20 going into the fourth, seemingly putting the game out of reach.
The lead reached 22 points to begin the final frame before the Remix began their electric comeback, turning defense into offense and showing efficiency from three to claw back into this game. At the lead of that comeback was a familiar face for L.A.
Blake Hinson, former Pitt sharpshooter who the Lakers signed after he went undrafted in 2024, already had 16 points going into the fourth. Before five minutes had passed in the quarter, his total had gone up to 29, and the Remix had cut the 20 point lead to three.
14 points from Hinson including four triples, five points from guard Dillon Jones and four more from Carr made up the bulk of the run.
On fire, Hinson hit two more triples to cut the lead to one, including one off of a nasty between the legs stepback move on Chris Mañon. He would finish with 35 on the night.
The Remix actually took a one point lead at 123-122 with 2:35 left, before Kobe Bufkin decided it was his turn to take over.
Bufkin scored eight of the next 10 for the Lakers in the span of a minute and a half, virtually putting the game out of reach.
R.J. Davis pitched in with 23 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Kylor Kelley contributed yet another double double with 10 points and boards each. The Lakers made 15 threes on the night on 41% from beyond-the-arc.
After losing big names like Adou Thiero, Bronny James Jr, Nick Smith Jr and Drew Timme to the parent squad, South Bay was reeling a bit, but are fortunate to have a bucket-getter like Bufkin back on the squad.
The Lakers move to 6-4 on the season with this impressive road win, while the Remix fall to 5-4.
Bufkin and the squad will look to build on this momentum when they travel to Stockton for a back-to-back against the Kings who are also 6-4. Tip-off for game one is set for Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.